Sparking Social Enterprises in EVA-BHN Project Districts
Client: Palladium EVA-BHN
Date: July-August 2018
The Empowerment, Voice and Accountability for Better Health and Nutrition (EVA-BHN) was a five-year initiative, primarily focused on the ‘demand side’ of RMNCH & nutrition services and complements the ‘supply side’ activities under the broader Provincial Health & Nutrition Programme (PHNP) framework. The program was implemented in 9 districts and 30 union councils per districts. As a core objective of the project, citizen groups were mobilized around each BHU, and were trained in advocacy, communication and citizen rights so that they could demand effective services from the BHUs in terms of access to appropriate, timely and regular medical advice, access to medicines and ensuring client satisfaction (treated well, treated properly, etc).
The project was coming to an end. As an exit strategy, the project wanted to orient the team to the concept of social enterprise and sustainable development, so that they could consider continuing their activities beyond the life of the project. Based on consultations and review of available reports and documents, Mera Maan designed and conducted a 2-day Social Enterprise Training for selected members of the District Advocacy Forum (DAF) from the nine project districts.
The workshop objectives were as follows: By the end of the Workshop, participants will be able to:
- Describe the importance of establishing a social enterprise for sustainable development
of health and wellbeing at the district level;
- Identify a range of creative ways to mobilize resources for their social enterprises through
individual giving, corporate giving, partnership building with governments and other social
enterprises.
- Develop participants’ knowledge and skills in logically conceptualizing and designing a
social enterprise, and setting it up.